Chương 4: Chapter 3: OP MC? Me?

Me?

It was time to delve into my Profile, or Personal Information, as the system called it. I took a steadying breath, braced for the weirdness, and tapped each line with my mind. First, my name. It carried an odd sense of potential. Or perhaps 'possibility' might be the better word. As if I could change it with a thought. Why would I want to change my name? It made little sense. I shook my head, bewildered. Moving on. My age had an edit option too.

I had no idea why I'd use it, so I left it alone until I could figure out the reason. Then I reached the Class line, clicked, and a new block of text scrolled in front of my eyes: GATE TRAVELER A unique hereditary Class A Gate Traveler can move between worlds through Gates that connect to different Planets, Realms, and Parallel Universes. Gate Travelers are explorers by nature. Therefore, this Class grants a variety of unique abilities and accelerates the acquisition of new skills and spells.

A Traveler must master a wide range of skills and knowledge to succeed. The first three Class abilities are free. Additional abilities require Ability Points. Each level grants: +1 to all Traits, +5 Free Points, +1 Ability Point. I read the description twice, letting the words sink in. The line about "Planets, Realms, and Parallel Universes" lit up my mind with images—things I saw on Star Trek, read about in the old legends when I searched for information a few days ago, and other things my mind made up.

I shivered. It was exciting and scary at the same time. The unknown held a measure of threat, because it was, well, Unknown, but also a sense of exploration and wonder. This wasn't just travel. It was everything, all of it, suddenly real. Not just something out of a sci-fi flick. My body vibrated with excitement, but a gut-wrenching wave of sadness followed. Sophie should have been here for this. I could almost hear her voice. That familiar voice, full of teasing warmth, mixed with a sharp spark of curiosity.

Her words would spill out faster than she could think of them, brimming with unstoppable energy, and her hand would grab my arm every other word to make sure I was listening. I could almost smell the faintest trace of her favorite perfume—a soft, sweet scent she always wore—mixing with the brush of her hair as she leaned in close, her eyes wide, saying, "What do you think the worlds are like? Maybe there's a world where the stars light up in different colors, or where trees can talk."

She'd have dozens of theories and get lost in imagining every one, dragging me along for the ride. A hollow ache, heavy as stone, lodged under my ribs, pressing into my heart and lungs, making it hard to breathe. God, I miss you, baby. For a moment, it felt like she was right there, leaning on my shoulder, laughing at the absurdity with me, her hand squeezing mine like she always did whenever I was about to do something I was unsure about. That steady, grounding presence she had.

I stayed there a while, rubbing my chest, letting the memories ebb. When the ache dulled, I drew a shaky breath, wiped my face, and returned to the screen. This curveball shocked me out of my pain, and I had no intention of submerging again under the onslaught. Clicked Gates. Nothing new popped up, which was disappointing. Finally, I tapped "Class Abilities," and text exploded across my vision, blocks of information stacking up faster than I could blink. Even reading it all made my head spin.

I had a ton of options, and each one was a mystery. Overwhelming didn't begin to cover it. GATE TRAVELER ABILITIES Conversion between Trait Points and Ability Points Unique Class Ability Exchange 5 Trait Points for 1 Ability Point. No cost in mana or Ability Points. I squinted at the text.

"Five Trait Points for one Ability Point?" I mumbled, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Are those points that valuable?" Keep looking and then decide. Travelers' Archive Unique Class Ability By Travelers for Travelers. Gain access to the Travelers' Archive, where Travelers share knowledge. In each new world, access notes from other Travelers to help you navigate that world. Before you leave, add your own experiences to assist future Travelers. Explore the General Information section for tips on becoming a successful Traveler. No cost in mana or Ability Points. That was unexpected.

The idea of a Traveler network, a kind of interdimensional guidebook, was both welcome and surreal.

"A cosmic travel blog?" I asked the screen. I couldn't help but chuckle. It might actually save me a lot of headaches and embarrassing mistakes. Identify Common Ability Examine a creature, object, or being to reveal its basic information. No cost in mana or Ability Points. I rubbed my chin, imagining the possibilities of getting real-time info with just a glance. An instant ID app. I chuckled, thinking of my annoying habit of forgetting names. Practical. I made a mental note to test it the next time I headed out.

A twinge of excitement nudged me to check what came next. Storage Unique Class Ability Unlock a storage space with an initial size of 8 cubic meters (2 m x 2 m x 2 m). Items in this space stay suspended. You cannot store living beings. Expanding it by 2 meters in each direction costs 1 Ability Point, allowing storage growth from 8 m³ > 64 m³ > 216 m³ > 512 m³. Expansions are limitless, but can cause mental strain without increased traits.

No mana cost, but accessing Storage on worlds with mana levels of 10 or below takes more time and concentration. Cost: 1 Ability Point for initial space + 1 Ability Point for each expansion. I breathed out a low whistle, imagining the possibilities of a portable storage space. No more luggage, I realized, eyes widening. Finally, freedom from the curse of waiting at the airport baggage claim. Leaning back, I smiled until I reread the line about "mental strain." My excitement faded as I rubbed my temple, frowning.

Let's hope it's not the kind of strain that leaves you with a migraine for days. Traveling light was too tempting. I bought my first 8 m³ of space, bracing for the mental strain, but nothing happened. Shrugging, I checked the next ability. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Local Adaptation Unique Class Ability Spoken Language: Gain a basic understanding of a language by listening to it and improve by speaking it.

Cost: 1 Ability Point, with a one-time mana cost of 500 per language. Written Language: Learn to read a language by viewing at least five words, and improve fluency through reading. Cost: 1 Ability Point, with a one-time mana cost of 500 per language. Runes/Magic Script: Understand the meaning and use of runes and magic symbols. Mastery grows with additional symbols. Cost: 5 Ability Points. You can learn three types of rune or magic script languages; each extra language costs +1 Ability Point.

Mana Cost: 50 mana per rune or symbol. I ran a hand through my hair, imagining the possibility of picking up languages on the fly. Instantly understanding a new language was terrific, like unlocking a secret superpower.

"Einstein, eat your heart out," I joked to the empty room. I could see Sophie's face, just for a moment, rolling her eyes and scrunching her nose in a playful, exaggerated way, her lips curling at the edges despite herself. She always did it when she thought I was being a smartass. The ache in my chest flared again. I held onto the memory for a moment longer and let it go. Even if I never left Earth, this ability wasn't a luxury; it was essential.

Working in the ER, I'd lost count of how many times I'd struggled to communicate with patients who didn't speak English. Those moments were a nightmare of clumsy charades and desperately hunting down someone to translate the basics.

"Where does it hurt? Are you allergic to anything?" These were such simple, vital questions, but the language barrier turned them into obstacles. The idea of not experiencing that again was fantastic. I almost wished I hadn't spent my free Ability Point on the Storage. Then again… I glanced back at the Storage description. I'd never lost my luggage in transit, but I'd heard enough horror stories. No more luggage hassles. Yeah, I made the right choice.

Travelers' Map Unique Class Ability In each world, access a Map of that world, updated by other Travelers. The Map will continue updating as you explore. You can study existing maps to pre-fill parts of your Map, but these additions won't update the general Travelers' Map or be visible to other Travelers. Cost: 1 Ability Point, with a one-time mana cost of 100 in each new world. This one felt lackluster. More precisely, if I stayed on Earth, it'd be pretty useless—Earth's maps were detailed enough.

However, if I were to travel, it'd be invaluable. No wonder Ability Points were so valuable, needing five Trait Points to get one. One of the Crowd Unique Class Ability Everything a Traveler needs to hide their status as a Traveler. In many worlds, abilities or devices exist to view Personal Information. This ability lets you cloak or modify your details: Change your name to blend in with local norms.

Display one of your Subclasses or Subprofessions as your primary Class, or show a false Class based on your skills or spells. Hide parts of your information and replace them with question marks (Warning: This can draw unwanted attention). In some worlds, identification is required, such as paper IDs, badges, or ID chips. Use this ability to conjure suitable IDs. Mana Cost: 100 mana for standard ID creation; 500 mana for advanced IDs, such as central database-linked chips.

If the world does not recognize your race, apply a glamour to appear local. The glamour drops once you pass through a Gate to a new world. Mana Cost: 300 mana per world. To travel successfully, a Traveler may need extra documentation. This ability enables you to conjure any necessary documents. Mana Cost: varies based on specific requirements. Cost: 1 Ability Point. This one was incredible. Total anonymity, even here on Earth.

I'd lost count of the times I wanted to blend in and melt into the background like some invisible bystander. High school alone had been a minefield of moments I'd rather forget, and the thought of finally having an escape hatch from that kind of scrutiny? Tension melted away from my shoulders just thinking about it. I imagined myself slipping through a crowd, unseen, a ghost able to vanish when the world closed in around me. Wish I'd had that back then.

Maybe I'd been too hasty with that first Ability Point on Storage. If I were to decide to travel, this would be a game-changer. Well, here on Earth as well. Be somebody else; escape scrutiny and expectations. I grinned to myself.

"Guess I'll have the perfect disguise next time I wander into a bar full of little gray men," I joked, imagining the absurd scene. My laughter echoed in the empty room, filling the quiet space, and for a brief moment, it almost felt like Sophie was right beside me, laughing along. The warmth of that thought settled over me, turning a slight grin into a full smile. Subclasses/Subprofessions Unique Class Ability Allows you to acquire up to three additional Classes and Professions to support your travels.

While these are less powerful than primary Classes, they offer valuable abilities. 1st Subclass/Subprofession: 1 Ability Point 2nd Subclass/Subprofession: 3 Ability Points 3rd Subclass/Subprofession: 5 Ability Points No mana cost to gain a Subclass or Subprofession. My grin spread wider. Picking up random skills sounded like a dream. Why stop at Gate Traveler when I can also be a musician or a pilot? I thought, excitement bubbling up. I could be the ultimate jack-of-all-trades.

Leaning back in my chair, I shook my head, imagining all the ridiculous combinations. Gate Traveler by day, baker by night. General Spells and Skills Unique Class Ability Travelers can learn any spell or skill from the integrated worlds, allowing for versatility and adaptability. Each new spell or skill costs 1-3 Ability Points and starts at level 1. Mana cost for use varies by spell or skill.

SEE FULL LIST Level 10 in the Gate Traveler Class unlocks additional options The spells and skills list was like a never-ending library of powers and knowledge. At first, I was excited, but as I scrolled, that excitement turned to something closer to awe… and a touch of panic. There were martial skills from every discipline imaginable, from Earth's traditional martial arts to combat techniques that sounded like they belonged in some ancient myth or futuristic sci-fi epic.

Fencing, swordsmanship, archery, staff fighting, hand-to-hand forms with names I'd never heard, and weapon skills from axes and crossbows to hydrogen emitters and gravitic pulsers—sci-fi tech straight out of a blockbuster. That was only the beginning. The list covered skills for driving, sailing, and piloting every imaginable type of vehicle, from basic cars to sailboats, motorbikes, helicopters, planes, and even spaceships. Spaceships!

I could almost picture myself cruising the stars at the helm of some advanced vessel. Then I reached the magic section, and the list got wild. Every school of magic you could think of, and many I'd never heard of: elemental spells from the elements I knew, and some I hadn't realized were elements, like Darkness or Light. Healing, Necromancy, Illusion, Shadow Manipulation, and even more obscure branches like Dream Weaving or Echo Manipulation.

Categories contained subcategories, which themselves contained further subdivisions. It was like every fantasy trope had been stuffed into this endless database. And it didn't stop at combat or magic. I found professional skills for every imaginable trade, from blacksmithing and carpentry to less common crafts like glassblowing, crochet, and gem crafting. There were skills I never would have thought worth training for, like sail sewing, knot-tying, bookkeeping, and utensil repair.

Some labels sounded like things from fairy tales—rituals, magic circles, spellbinding, formations. Even cursing had its own category, with subsections from minor hexes to full-blown banishments. Then there were the general skills. An encyclopedia of everything a regular person might pick up over a lifetime. Cooking, basic repairs, and sewing were the basic ones.

There were also swimming, rock climbing, fishing, and playing any instrument under the sun, moon, and stars, from piano to lyre to some instruments I'd never heard of, like a Thermablaster or Susirr. Industrial machines had their own skills, covering everything from factory-level production to delicate work with micro-machines or nanite programming. The list even included skills like diplomacy, negotiation, and spycraft, all just waiting to be learned and improved. I kept scrolling, and the list kept growing.

It was like it had a life of its own, constantly adding new skills and spells to tempt me with possibilities I couldn't even wrap my head around. The sheer scale of it all hit me like a tsunami, engulfing me in an ocean of endless options. This Class wasn't just overpowered; it was ridiculously overpowered! I could be anything! A laugh escaped me before I could contain it, then another, louder. I sounded like one of those users on the book forums raving about "OP MC," which I hadn't even understood last week.

I could be an OP MC! The thought flashed through my mind, and I snorted. I imagined myself in some over-the-top action pose, shooting lasers from my eyes or fighting like Bruce Lee while shouting, "Hi-ya!" That mental image did me in. I doubled over and laughed so hard my stomach cramped. Dr. John, the OP hero. I laughed until tears streamed down my face, each gasp bringing another absurd image: a spaceship navigator in a sci-fi suit, a dandy fencer in a feathered hat, a ship captain with an eye patch and a parrot.

The ridiculousness of it all sent me into peals of laughter. Laughter that came from somewhere deep, a mix of awe, disbelief, and sheer overwhelm. Me! An OP MC! Another wave of hysterical laughter.